JAKARTA, Indonesia

Indonesia will begin COVID-19 vaccination this week and President Joko Widodo will be the country’s first vaccine recipient, health minister said on Monday.

"God willing, we will start [the vaccination process] on Wednesday," Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in a news conference.

Indonesia’s top Muslim body on Friday declared China’s Sinovac vaccine for COVID-19 halal, or permissible under Islam.

In a news conference, Asrorun Niam, the secretary of fatwa (Islamic decree) commission of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), said the decision was taken based on a plenary session discussing the ingredients and production processes for the coronavirus vaccine made by the Chinese company, Sinovac Lifescience Co.

However, he said the decision is not final as the body is still waiting for the final report from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) regarding the vaccine’s safety, quality and efficacy.